By: Yomna Walid&nbsp;
The story is not simply about age or records. It is about the journey of Egyptian &ldquo;Iron Woman&rdquo; Amany Khalil, who recently became the first Egyptian woman to complete seven of the eight World Marathon Majors after finishing the Sydney Marathon. Her journey has also taken her to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro alongside a team of Egyptian women.
What began as a way to stay active after stepping away from her banking career to focus on her family grew into a lifelong passion, taking Khalil around the world to compete in some of the most demanding endurance events. Along the way, she has balanced motherhood and family life with her ambitions as an athlete.
NileFM speaks to Khalil about the journey from motherhood to international marathons, the support of her family, the loss of her mother and why she believes it is never too late to start something new.
From Motherhood To Marathon Running
Leaving her banking career was not the end of Khalil&rsquo;s professional journey. After moving to the USA with her husband while he pursued his PhD, she began a new chapter focused on raising her children. It was during those years in the USA that her love of running took hold.
You made the decision to leave your career to focus on your family. How have your children shaped your journey and the person you are today?
I worked at a bank for three years after I got married. Then my husband was given the opportunity to pursue his PhD in the United States, so I left my job and travelled with him to support him.
While I was there, I decided to continue my master&rsquo;s degree, but I became exhausted and then found out that I was pregnant. I decided to focus all my attention on my children and on being with them.
I am the kind of person who wakes up early, and there was a group that used to run together. I already loved running, so I decided to join them. They encouraged me to enter a five-kilometre race, and I did very well and won a medal. After that, I tried a full marathon before my husband completed his PhD, and we returned to Egypt in 1999.
When my children were young, they became used to me taking them to the school bus and then going out for an hour-long run. I have loved running ever since my time in the USA.
Someone noticed that I was a good runner and encouraged me to participate in a race. I registered for the Luxor race and came third. That was when I felt that I was actually doing something really good.
I also discovered a group of foreign runners living in Egypt who would train for international marathons. I eventually managed to complete 14 marathons around the world with them.
When my children went to university, I participated in a marathon and also took part in a triathlon, which consists of cycling, swimming and running. At that time, my children were always encouraging me. When I entered an Ironman competition at the age of 50, they insisted on coming with me.
They, along with my husband, made a huge difference during the race. Each one of them ran five kilometres with me. Whenever I felt tired, they would tell me, &ldquo;You are making history for Egypt. Don&rsquo;t stop.&rdquo; And I actually did it.
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You chose to leave your career to focus on your family. Have you ever regretted that decision?
I do not regret it because it made a difference in my relationship with my children. I was always there for them while also doing something I loved.
I used to teach aerobics. When my mother-in-law saw me doing it in the USA and noticed that I was good at it, she told me, &ldquo;You are good at this. Why don&rsquo;t you teach it when you return from the USA?&rdquo; So I actually studied it and worked in the field while my children were at school. It helped me maintain my fitness while allowing me to always be there for them.
This is a message I want to give to all mothers: you can have a career, be an athlete and be a mother at the same time. A mother can do anything she loves, and that reflects on her daughter, her friends, her husband and her family. It makes a difference compared with a mother who constantly feels that she is not doing anything for herself.
When I returned from the USA, I saw mothers who felt guilty for doing something for themselves because nobody had told them that it makes a difference to the people around them. But every mother needs to do something that makes her happy.
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Chasing The World&rsquo;s Biggest Marathons
What began with local races eventually grew into an international journey. Khalil has completed seven of the eight World Marathon Majors, with races in Boston, Berlin, Chicago, London, New York, Tokyo and Sydney.
You recently completed the Sydney Marathon in Australia, your seventh World Marathon Major, becoming the first Egyptian woman to achieve this milestone. What did the journey to Sydney involve?
It is one of the top seven marathons in the world, and it is not easy to get into these races.
I started with the Boston Marathon in 2017, then the Berlin Marathon in 2018, the Chicago Marathon in 2019, the London Marathon in 2022, the New York Marathon in 2022, the Tokyo Marathon in 2023, and finally the Sydney Marathon in 2026.
Looking back at your journey, what has been the most special and unforgettable moment for you?
When I crossed the finish line of the Ironman, many people had told me, &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not for your age. It&rsquo;s crazy.&rdquo; But when I got there, I saw people who were even older than me. When I finished, I cried because I could not believe that I had actually done it. It made me realise that nothing is impossible.
During the Boston Marathon in 2018, I saw someone running in a T-shirt saying that he had completed the third of the six marathons. At the time, there were six World Marathon Majors before Sydney was added as the seventh. I researched the six marathons and thought, &ldquo;Why don&rsquo;t I complete them too? This is an opportunity.&rdquo;
That taught me that when an opportunity comes your way, you should not let it pass. You will never regret trying, but you will regret not trying.
27 Marathons, 28 Years: Amany Khalil&rsquo;s Race Journey
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Turning Injury Into Another Challenge
For Khalil, an injury became an opportunity to discover another form of adventure before eventually returning to running.
After taking a long break from running because of injury, what was the biggest challenge you faced when you decided to make your comeback?
If you ask any athlete about an injury, they will tell you that it feels almost like being diagnosed with a serious illness, because you are used to constantly being active.
Doctors told me that I could not run at that time, so I spent a long time trying easier activities while undergoing physical therapy. That was when I started climbing mountains, because I have always been the kind of person who, whenever an opportunity comes my way, feels that I have to try it.
Eight Women, One Mountain
When her friend Alexandra Kinias suggested celebrating her 60th birthday on the summit of Africa&rsquo;s tallest mountain, Khalil said yes. The idea quickly grew into a journey involving eight Egyptian women.
Can you take us behind your KiliEgypt and Kilimanjaro journey? What did the experience mean to you as part of a group of women?
When Alexandra told me she was turning 60 and wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, I said, &ldquo;Come on, let&rsquo;s take a group of women and mothers with us so we can support each other. Age is not a barrier.&rdquo;
We went to a coach and trained for a year. At the time, I had an injury in my left leg, but after my doctor gave me permission to train, I started all over again and trained from the beginning.
I believe that sport brings out the best in women. We were a group of eight women willing to do the same thing I was talking about. We had a common goal, which was learning how to deal with each other and support one another. The most important thing was that we had to be united.
The journey was exhausting, but when you return, you feel grateful for all of God&rsquo;s blessings.
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A Mother&rsquo;s Legacy
While many of Khalil&rsquo;s achievements have been defined by numbers, medals and finish lines, her latest milestone carries a deeply personal meaning. Her mother passed away this year, making the Sydney Marathon a tribute to the woman whose advice had always stayed with her.
Your mother passed away this year, and you paid tribute to her through your victory. What advice did she give you that you still carry with you today?
She was always very worried about me. During competitions, she would be terrified and constantly tell me to take care of myself. That taught me that I should not enter any competition that involves danger. She always told me, &ldquo;Do what you love, but don&rsquo;t take risks.&rdquo; Even the mountain I climbed had no real danger.
Whenever I enter a competition, I make sure I train for it very well, and it has never hurt me. But if I enter a competition and fail, it means that the training itself was not right or that the competition was not meant for me.
The first competition I entered without my mother being there, I felt as though the T-shirt I was wearing, which had her picture on it, meant that she was still with me. When she was alive, I always felt that God was protecting me.
But at the end of the day, we only live once. So the Sydney race was for my mother. My coaches and my doctor were happy with the result I achieved, but I was happy because of my mother. I was thinking about her the entire time.
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Becoming The &ldquo;Iron Woman&rdquo;
Long before completing seven World Marathon Majors, Khalil had already made her mark by becoming the first Egyptian mother and woman over 50 to complete a full Ironman. The achievement also earned her the nickname &ldquo;Iron Woman&rdquo;.
You became known as the &ldquo;Iron Woman&rdquo; after ranking fourth globally in the Full Ironman international competition. How did that title change the way you saw yourself and your journey?
Before I returned to Egypt, the media went wild. For them, what stood out was that I had done it at 50, so the focus was on my age rather than on my journey.
But my coach, who was only 28, is the one who made me who I am. Without her, I would not have been able to do it. That is where the nickname &ldquo;Iron Woman&rdquo; came from.
Life At 60 And Beyond
For Khalil, turning 60 has not meant slowing down. Instead, it has become another reminder that people can continue discovering their abilities at every stage of life.
You recently turned 60 and often say that age is just a number. Looking back, how have you changed through the different stages of your life?
I am proud of my fitness and of every stage of my life. Of course, my energy in the sport is not the same as it was when I was 40 or 50. I have given my energy to many different things throughout my life.
I always tell myself that I do not have to be so hard on myself about my performance, because my performance is already good. I will keep going as long as I do not compromise my health.
I see people over 80 who still go out and buy their own vegetables and do not want anyone to help them. On the other hand, there are people who turn 40 and simply sit down, eat and watch television. That makes us grow old faster.
There were moments when I could have said, &ldquo;That&rsquo;s it, I&rsquo;m done.&rdquo; But I thought, I have this talent, so why not make use of it? People should enjoy whatever they have.
What sports or activities would you like to see become more accessible and widely practised by women in Egypt?
I would love to see women walk for one hour every morning.
People need to wake up early. I saw this in a place like Peru, where people start their day early, and that also has an impact on their physical health, their thinking, their mental health and many other aspects of their lives.
I would love to see this become part of life in my country, with proper walking paths where people can exercise without cars disturbing them.
The Power Of Support
Behind Khalil&rsquo;s achievements is a support system that has accompanied her throughout her journey. From her husband to her children, that encouragement has played an important role in allowing her to pursue her ambitions.
You have previously spoken about your relationship with your husband. What would you say to men who do not support their wives in pursuing their dreams and ambitions?
My husband is very supportive. He showed me what an Egyptian man can be when he truly loves his wife.
He saw that I was fulfilling my responsibilities, so it was a win-win situation. He knew that I loved my work, but I could not leave him to travel alone when he went to the United States. He recognised the sacrifice I had made and saw that I was happy and successful, so he cleared the path for me.
My children are now doing the same thing in their own lives, and I believe all of this came through sport. Sport brings out the kindest side of people, and it is free. I am still studying Pilates because I believe it is extremely beneficial.
A Message To Women With Dreams
Beyond the medals and records, Khalil&rsquo;s story is also about identity, purpose and the importance of allowing women to pursue something that belongs to them.
What advice would you give to an Egyptian woman who has a dream but feels it may be too late or too difficult to pursue it?
You should never feel guilty for doing something you love. You can give your energy to more than one thing, including the things you are passionate about, and that reflects back on you.
Life is very short, and you never know what is coming next.
If you want people to remember Amany Khalil for one thing, what would you want it to be?
My positive spirit. I truly feel that people are happy when I encourage them, and that makes a difference to them because they do the same for others.
What Comes Next?
For Khalil, completing another major milestone does not mean the journey is over. She continues to set new goals while finding new reasons to challenge herself and support the women around her.
What comes next for you? What new goal or challenge are you looking forward to?
At the beginning of every year, I go out and buy a new planner. On the first page, I write down what I want to achieve that year.
There are three countries left on my list, and I am supposed to do them on 11 October 2026. I was not supposed to take part, but I found some girls who are going to participate for the first time, so I decided to go and support them. The countries are Germany, Austria and Switzerland. After that, I will take a break.
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Photo Credit: Amany Khalil's official page&nbsp;
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